Reflections for the moment #42 Seeking shelter (4nov09)

Dear….

'Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.'

Psalms 73:13-14

A brother in Christ told me to be very aware of the time that God wakes us up, for its seems 4am is when His Spirit moves. Not too sure about that, but lately, I am awakened at 6am not with an uplifting spirit as always before, but with an unsettled heart. A sister in Christ forewarned me just last nite that I must be prepared to be spiritually assaulted by the devil, given my desire to respond to the Lord's call to do His will even more fervently not just for this month of Nov 09, but from here on.

'Nevertheless I am continually with Thee; Thou has holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory…'

Psalms 73:23

God is Sovereign. The devil for all its professed influence in our fallen world, still has to seek God's permission before he is allowed to touch us with his delusions. I know that, I have lived through much greater oppressions and delusions, and I know the "de rigueur," a French expression that literally means necessary according to etiquette, common sense, protocol or fashion.

So what is the common pattern? Men being imperfect, much as we strive to be Christlike, will have chinks in our armour that the devil will try to capitalize on to bring about our reversion back to sinfulness. And how can we deal with such challenges, which will be an ongoing process till the day we are with our Father in Heaven?

God knows our imperfections. He understands that and He has left the Holy Spirit in us who truly believed, to guide, teach, correct and lead us.

But we must want to call upon Him, who resides in our heart. And like a race that the Apostle Paul alludes to, we can only run well if we stay focussed on Christ our Lord, and if we stay disciplined.

Discipline comes from the desire and action to do God's leading, in seeking Him always in our lives, in reading His words, in prayers, and in His works in all times, be it good, bad or indifferent.

Doing all these does not mean no troubles, as I have found out often. It in fact means even greater challenges, yet, this diligence will ensure that we will draw near to God, so that God will draw near to us and He will bring us forth, much as our innate sinful self will struggle for a while. And with the faith given to those who comes continuously unto the presence of God, come what may, we will allow ourselves to cling on to Him much as many often find it difficult in their troubled moments to let go and let God.


'Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.'

Romans 13:1
Indeed as the Psalmist say in Psalm 73:22
'So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee..'
But yet, by habit or more like faith, inculcated over the years from time spent with the Lord our God, I have indeed learned to cling on to God, no matter what

;Nevertheless I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand.'
Psalm 73:23
And indeed as I finished this short, and in the mind of some, self psycho-analysis, God has indeed lifted the oppressive cloud hanging over my head this past one week, and I do apologize to anyone who have received some recent communications from me. Prayerfully, the slightly more edgy responses did no damage. I was not myself, as the Incredible Hulk would say after leaving a damaging trail before he reverted from raging green to mild mannered pale white. But thankfully, God is faithful, even when we are not.

'And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.'
John 1:5

God Blesses

Eng Hieang

Note
- If you were to read Ephesians 6:12, it does bring us to a different perspective from the one dimensional world that we think we are in.

'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."


But God has indeed provided us with His cover and do take time to reflect and pray about God's provisions for all of us. Much as even many believers might think not much of the spiritual, reality is that the natural and the spiritual are both at work and it will do us well to be very cognizance of the presence of evil in forms beyond our finite discernment. Yet it is even more imperative that we be fully cognizance of and acknowlege God's omnipresence and Sovereignty in our lives. For not to do so, would mean that you are on your own, as many who are about to depart from their bodily shell might attest to. A postulation on my part, but I believe is a fact.

'Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand….'

Ephesians 6:13-18